Local Businesses
missing digital marketing basics
85% of consumers search for local businesses online, but without an optimized digital marketing strategy, can they find you?
Consumers spend a great deal of time online – on average, a little over an hour a day. 4 Much of this time is spent on social sites, reading content or searching. 6
Consumers rely on search engines. In fact, most consider search engine results to be reliable, educational and unbiased. 6
85%
Consumers searching online for local businesses 1
63%
Small businesses without a website 1
25%
Small businesses that don't show up in search results 3
60%
Small businesses without a phone number on their website 3
75%
Small businesses without an email address on their website 3
How your website ranks in search engine results could keep consumers from finding your products/services.
Search engine optimization is one of the many digital marketing tools to help consumers find you online, as most consumers don't venture past the first page of search results.
93% of consumers start with a search engine 7
75% of consumers never go beyond the first page of search results 8
50% Paid search ads provide 50% more clicks even when a business ranks #1 in organic search 9
Frequency of Posts on Social Media Sites 12
- Post at least once a week
- Post at least once a month
- Post less than once a month
- Post almost every day
- Post many times per day
- Never post an update
Social media has grown
713% in 7 years
Social sites have experienced the fastest growing online activity since 2005. Adults who use social media have grown significantly – from 8% usage in 2005 to 66% usage in 2011.10 Interestingly enough, internet users spend 1 out of every 6 minutes online using social media. 11
It's no mystery that consumers are active on social media – to put this in perspective, there are 155 million Facebook users in the US. 13 So use social media tools consistently and with relevancy – as part of your targeted digital marketing strategy.
The percentage of small business owners who consider social media sites valuable is impressive – 86% find Facebook valuable, 71% YouTube and 60% Twitter. 14
7 out of 10
Consumers said they trust online reviews as much as personal recommendations
5 out of 10
Consumers said they were more likely to use a local business that has a positive online reputation
Your Online Reputation Makes a Big Impact With Consumers
Consumers often turn to the web when considering a new product or service, as there is no shortage of chatter discussing the good…and the bad.
- 76% of consumers consider online reviews when choosing which local business to use
- 72% trust online reviews as much as recommendations from family and friends
- 52% are more likely to choose a local business with a positive online reputation 1
As an essential part of your digital marketing efforts, respond to all positive – and negative – feedback in a timely and appropriate manner.
Digital Marketing
Is mobile
Consumers spend an average of 2 hours per day using their mobile phone. 15 As shown in the graph to the left, communication is the main reason for usage, but there is still an incredible amount of time spent browsing the web. 17
Nearly 234 million Americans use mobile phones. In fact, mobile users would rather give up the following novelties than live without their phones for one week. 17
- 70% alcohol
- 63% chocolate
- 33% sex
- 22% toothbrush
Of all smartphones available, the Android platform has the most market share (59%) in the US. 18
More consumers
are using tablets
As previously discussed, consumers have a strong affinity to their mobile phones, but more and more are turning to tablets as well. Trends show that over half of internet users will own a tablet by 2015. 19
And interestingly enough, consumers are not replacing one screen with another. They tend to use multiple screens at the same time. 21
- 85% use a tablet or phone while watching TV
- 66% use a tablet or phone while on a computer and watching TV
Digital marketing strategies should embrace trends such as this and anticipate how consumer behaviors evolve and change.
Growth of Tablet Ownership 20
Consumers search
for you on their mobile device
Trends predict that by 2016, local searches on mobile devices will exceed those done on computers. 24 In fact, the number of Google searches via mobile has grown by 500% over the past two years. 23
3 out of 5
consumers seek out local businesses on their smartphone 24
Consumers use their mobile devices to help make purchasing decisions
Consumers now shop via their mobile devices. Almost half of all US consumers have used their mobile devices to search for products and services online. 25
66% of smartphone owners use their phones to help make purchasing decisions
38% of those consumers use their phone while at a store
50% of those consumers use their phone while in the aisle where the product is sold 26
Information Resources
- US Consumers Love the Brands that Love Them, According to Analytic Partners Survey
- Brand Experience and Shopper Loyalty in Retail
- Strengthening the Core of Retailing to Help Retailers Deliver on the Brand Promise
- Clicks and Mortar: Why In-Store Experience Matters (Now More Than Ever)
- Adventures in Retail – In Search of Seamless Brand Experiences
- Four Keys to Surviving the Future of Retail
- Experience Matters: The Science Behind the Resurgence of Physical Stores
- 74% of Retailers Believe Developing a More Engaging In-Store Customer Experience is Critical to Business